Before the onset of disease, healthy pink gingiva (gum tissue) surrounds the teeth, both holding them in place and preventing infectious material from entering the jaw bone or tooth itself. The tooth includes three regions known as the crown, neck, and root. Gingiva or gum tissue is the soft tissue covering the neck of the tooth. The area between the enamel and the gingiva is called the gingival crevice. The gums are under constant bacterial assault. Gingivitis develops when large masses of bacteria clog the gingival crevice.
Periodontal disease (gum disease) is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases affecting humans. Children as young as 5 years of age can have gum disease. By age 35, three out of four people are afflicted, and by age 65, an estimated 98 percent of Americans have periodontal disease." The word "periodontal" is derived from two Greek words that mean "around the tooth periodontal disease is caused by certain types of bacteria, forming a sticky, colorless, constantly forming film of bacteria called plaque. Plaque that is not removed can combine with other materials and harden into a rough, porous deposit called calculus (tartar). Calculus on the tooth surface (above the gum line) may not contribute to periodontal disease, but calculus on the neck or root surface (below the gums) makes removal of new plaque and bacteria more difficult. Bacteria in plaque produce metabolic by-products that diffuse into the immediate surrounding area, irritate the gingiva, and result in an inflammatory reaction. The gingiva then swells, becomes reddened, sensitive to touch and may bleed. It is not normal for gums to bleed when brushing or flossing. Bleeding gums is usually the first sign of gingivitis. Gingivitis is reversible. Gum disease occurs when the gingival crevice between the tooth and gum is more than three millimeters. As gingivitis progresses, the tissue surrounding the teeth is destroyed, the supporting collagen fibers begin to degenerate, and eventually the bone supporting the tooth socket degenerates and tooth loss can occur.
Periodontal disease can be prevented by practicing good oral hygiene. Daily tooth brushing and flossing are the most important weapons against the formation of plaque. Brushing teeth thoroughly at least twice a day helps remove plaque from the outer, inner, and chewing surfaces of the teeth. But careful brushing alone is not sufficient, because the bristles of the toothbrush cannot make contact with all parts or sides of the teeth. Dental floss helps to remove plaque from the crevices between the teeth that are often too deep to access with a brush.
Dental floss or tape is typically a multi-filament bundle of natural or synthetic fibers of varying thickness, usually in a continuous strand, sometimes coated with wax or other polymers and housed on a spool for ease of dispensing. Using dental floss to help remove plaque from the tooth surface is known in the art. It has been known in the art to coat or otherwise fix substances to dental floss for application of those substances to the teeth and gums to achieve therapeutic effects to the teeth and gums. Certain of these known are herein described: